Broken and Repaired
by AprilShower
Summary: Arnold has been getting strange love letters from a anonymous person and is determined to find out who they are.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: _Hey Arnold (tragically) is not in my possession. I can only claim this story about them.

"Criminey Bob! No one wants to hear about your stupid butt rash!" Helga yelled irritatedly as she headed upstairs to her room.

"Shut your trap Olga!" Bob shouted back.

Helga rolled her eyes she should be used to this by now. Everyday she would walk home alone from Hillwood High only to open the door to her building and be greeted by Bob's incessant wining once again. Which usually led to Helga telling her father to stop being such a pansy and be a real husband and father. This usually led to another fallout between the two. Miriam would be passed out on the couch a river of drool running from her mouth. Olga would be either trying to stick to her like glue or making plans to feed the hungry and save the world. Helga would go up to her room and engage in the activity that brought purpose to her existence. Writing.

Closing her door she placed her back pack on the floor got out her stationary, yes she had a stationary...sue her, and began her letter.

_Dear Arnold,_

_It's just another day in this God-forsaken-place that most mistake as a home. The man is still cruel and insensitive, the woman is still good for nothing, and the daughter is...well she's still here and her presence alone is bad enough. Me...I'm still nonexistent as usual. School is a drag...well except for this one boy...You. To this day my eyes have never beheld anything as beautiful and magnificent as you. Today my love I will focus only on your feet. Yes you heard right my love I am going to rant and rave and pour out my adulation on your feet. You see my love it's not just the shape and size of your feet (narrow size eleven) or the shoes for which you cover them (your black Gifford Born shoes) or how they support the rest of that Phenomenal Body, but it's what you do with that beautiful pair of feet. The way they take you to our butt-crack of the earth school everyday to strive for excellence in academics, be a friend to all those you see, walk to the second to last water fountain from where you drink after fourth period, allowing me blessed grace from a mere glance at you, take you from the butt-crack of the earth to help out someone in need, then to Gerald's for sports, exercise and guy time and then finally going home, for your feet serve a purpose far greater than most and above all are a joyous delight simply because they belong to you._

_Signed, __Forever Yours _

_Love, _

_Broken._

Arnold sat staring at the letter in shock. Where had it come from and more importantly who had penned it. He had woken up that morning to find a white envelope with his name on it stuck to the skylight window above his head, only to find that it was not stuck but deliberately taped there. Curious and confused Arnold climbed up his ladder retrieved the letter with his name scrawled on the front of it and began to read what he soon discovered to be a love letter addressed to him. A passionate love letter addressed to him. He through mouth agape at the letter as the person described in detail his _feet? _So someone out there was obsessed with his feet. Someone named _Broken_.

"Wow Arnold. You've gotten people to do extraordinary things but this one tops the cake. You've managed to get someone to fall in love with your feet." Gerald said looking over the letter again.

Arnold had just finished showing it to him, naturally they were best friends and Arnold couldn't keep this from him besides he really wanted to talk to some one about this and who better. Of course now he was thinking there were better people to talk to about the letter than Gerald and should have gone to them first. Gerald had read over the letter to see for himself and he had been stuck on the shape and size of Arnold's feet ever since.

"Gerald can you focus on the important stuff please?" Arnold took the letter back from his best friend. Seeing the serious look on his best friends face Gerald sobered up.

"Arnold I'm not going to lie to you it creeps me out. I mean the way they described your feet and knew your schedule in detail is a little scary. I've heard of secret admirers but this sounds like a stalker. And they could go to our school man. I'm not saying call the police I would just be cautious." Arnold seemed to appreciate this advice.

"Thanks Gerald and hey hopefully it's just this one letter."

"Yeah man. Just be careful okay." Gerald cautioned again.

"I will." Arnold told him before they did their secret handshake and continued on to school.

"Well we better hurry the butt-crack of the earth is starting soon." Gerald joked.

"Gerald!" exclaimed Arnold.

"What man? Don't tell me you didn't think that was funny."

"Maybe a little." Arnold said quietly and they laughed all the way to school.

**I don't know what I'm doing. I might try this out or abandon it. Anyway it was just an idea. **


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: _Hey Arnold (tragically) is not in my possession. I can only claim this story about them.

"Olga get your butt down here your Ma and I have something important to tell ya!" Helga heard Bob shout to her from down stairs.

Helga rolled her eyes, a habit she had picked up since living here, grabbed her bag and tromped down the stairs.

"What is so important Bob? You think getting through a shave without nicking your face deserves attention," Helga glared at Bob impatiently.

"Watch your mouth Olga!" Bob pointed at her which was soon followed by her signature eye roll.

"Your Mother wants you to have Olga's old car since I'm getting her a new one and we don't want you lingering around the house all the time causing trouble."

For the first time in forever Helga felt herself getting happy things were looking up. She was getting Bubbles and wouldn't have to walk to school and work everyday. But first things first she was defiantly changing the name of the car. Who names their car Bubbles?

"Mud is out back ready for you," He threw the keys at her.

"Mud? You mean that old, broke down, brown car? That car never belong to Olga."

"We know, we just thought that maybe saying it belonged to Olga would make you feel better, you can thank us later." He said with her mother smiling stupidly beside him.

"Oh I just knew you would love it Helga. Look Bob she's speechless!" Miriam gushed. That woman was so STUPID!

Helga just stared at them in disbelief and shook her head before turning and going out the door closing it with a loud SLAM!

_Don't cry. Don't cry._ She chanted this to herself as she stomped down the side walk. _Suck it up, don't let them ruin your day._ She clenched the car keys in her hand before shoving them in her pocket and continuing on her way to school.

"Salutations Helga," Phoebe greeted Helga in her usual upbeat and warm tone, before catching a glimpse of her friends face. "Oh my, Helga what's the matter."

"Nothing."

"Helga," Phoebe persisted.

"Look Pheebs I just don't want to talk about it alright," Helga snapped before softening her tone. "Let's just talk about something eles alright."

"Changing subject," Phoebe established and proceeding to talk about something else as they walked into the building.

Helga turned to her right and saw that Arnold and Gerald were walking toward them. They had changed so much. Arnold was an inch taller than her now, with a lean hard body and his once wild cornflower hair now dipped in front of his eyes. He was a dream. Gerald was one of the tallest guys in the class and had muscles that made Phoebe turn tomato red at the sight of them. All in all you could say that a summer in the jungle had done them both good and Helga and Phoebe weren't the only girls to notice. As the guys approached, you could produce a whole marching band with the beating going on in within the chest of Phoebe and Helga, especially Helga.

"Good morning Helga, Phoebe," Arnold said hello to them before his good morning grin flashed across his face and made Helga's heart kick up its tempo five notches.

"Hey Helga, Good morning Babe," Gerald lowered the timbre of his voice when he greeted Phoebe causing her to madly blush. Good grief you'd think Phoebe would be used to this by now, she and Gerald had been dating since last year. They had begun dating a week after Arnold and Helga had set aside their differences. Phoebe wouldn't date Gerald until Helga and Arnold were on better terms. When Helga and Arnold became friends no one was more shocked than Helga herself, she could remember it like it was yesterday.

Arnold and Gerald had just come back form San Lorenzo last summer with a bunch of different documents and letters from his parents and they were having a particularly hard time with figuring out what some of the letters meant. The letters were written in similes, analogies, metaphors and double meanings, and although very reluctant and with much arguing from Gerald they had decided that they needed her help and she had offered it with no question, hesitation or complaint. Because she was so used to writing about her love for Arnold in such manner, decoding the letters had been no problem for her and before Gerald and Arnold could even blink, Helga had translated all fifty-four letters. The most amazing and embarrassing part was when Arnold grabbed her and kissed her ON THE LIPS! before hugging her tightly for a long time and then letting go only for her to pass out. When she came to minutes later she had a feeling that their relationship would never be the same...and it hadn't. Arnold had declared her a precious friend to him and for some reason after that kiss he gave her she just could no longer bring out the strenght to be mean to him. Even her relationship with tall hair-boy had gotten better.

It had been both a good and a bad change. She was closer to Arnold than ever before but that made it all the harder to hide her feelings. At least when she was at a distance she could pour them out in private but now whenever Arnold found her sitting alone he would slide in next to her. It was a joyous torture. She was broken out of her thoughts by Arnold.

"Helga are you coming?" Gerald and Phoebe were already making their way into the school.

"Oh uh yeah," she said before joining him in their walk to class.

* * *

"Aaahhhhh!!!!" You could hear Arnold screaming like a girl when he woke up the next morning. Something was on his face. He smacked it off and was relieved to find that it was just an envelope. His relief was short lived however when he found out that it was another letter from the mysterious _Broken_. it had been two weeks since he had received his last letter and he thought that it was the only one, boy was he wrong. Scared but overly curious, Arnold picked up the envelope off the floor, slowly took out the letter and began to read. His face was frozen in shock, slight fear and also red from his constant blushing and embarrassment as he finished up the letter. For it had said...

_Dear Arnold, _

_My love. Life on the home front has not gotten any better in fact you could say it got worse, but you my sweet have always been and will always be the only bright spot and shining light in my life and for that I will be in gratitude of you forever. Without you my life is a constant story of desolation and emptiness. I mean nothing to those around me except being on the receiving end of someones jokes or a punching bag for someones insults. Even more important than all of these is the fact that I will never be worthy of you my darling. But enough of my worthlessness, let's talk about something far more exquisite my precious jewel...You. This day My Love I shall speak on your legs alone. Those two tanned timbers of muscular flesh. Those wonderful legs that help to make up your 5' 10" frame. The way they carry you about in such a way that just demands attention. The way they bend when you stoop to help to Ms. Grober pick the watermelons from her garden or to pick up the loose change that has fallen out of Mrs. Judith's old pocket book or just to tie your shoes, your legs are a sight to beheld. The way they are strong and determined when your are crouched and about to tackle a guard into next year during football practice or jump up to rescue your neighbors cat whining from a tree branch that they just won't come down from or when they are pumping as you race to Slausen's just in time before it closes because your grandma was making a steak dinner and had everything except the steak, your legs are a wonder in a and of themselves. How I wish your legs were chasing after me Beloved but alas that is just my fantasy once again running away with me (no pun intended my love). Despite any situation your legs are in they never fail to rise to the challenge presented them, and why you may ask my sweetheart, simply because they belong to the Angel that is you. _

_Signed, Forever Yours _

_Love, _

_Broken. _

****

_A/N: Thank you so much to Wisia and One Fine Wire for your helpful reviews! I hope this chapter was better and not so confusing for you. And another thank you to SuprSingr for being the first to review and to acosta perez jose ramiro for reviewing as well. And to all who read, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think! _


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: _Hey Arnold (tragically) is not in my possession. I can only claim this story about them.

_A/N:_ Here's chapter 3! Hope you enjoy! Apologies if you don't!

A month and a half later...

"Helga you have to tell him." a voice told her over the line as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Huh? Phoebe?" Helga asked confused.

"Yes Helga it's me and you have to tell him."

"I have no idea what you are talking about Pheebs. Tell who what?"

"Tell Arnold about the letter."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Phoebe are you INSANE!! I can't tell Arnold it was me who wrote him those letters! How do you know that I wrote then anyway?!"

"Gerald just called me hysterical, talking about some creepy letters that Arnold had been receiving. He said that he didn't tell me up until now because Arnold hadn't wanted anyone else to know, but you know how Gerald is when it comes to keeping secrets."

Helga nodded her head in agreement even though she knew Phoebe couldn't see.

"And I'm a little hurt Helga that you couldn't trust me with this information. We're best friends Helga." Phoebe said disappointed. Helga could hear the hurt in her voice.

"Pheebs it isn't like that, I wasn't trying to keep it from you. Heck I don't even know what I was trying to do. I mean i don't plan on telling him so what am I going to do just keep writing letters to him for the rest of my life?"

Phoebe heard Helga groan deeply.

"Maybe you should just finally tell Arnold how you really feel. You've been keeping these feelings inside of you for a long time Helga. I honestly do not think that Arnold will reject you. He cares a great deal more about you than both of you realize."

Helga sat up. "Do you know something I don't?" Of course she did but she wasn't about to tell Helga that.

"All I'm saying is that the both of you need to open your eyes a little wider and have a nice long talk." Phoebe said softly.

"I just...I just can't do it Pheebs. At least not right now. Maybe a sign will hit me and show me when, but just...not now. Okay?"

"Alright Helga I won't push anymore tonight. In fact why don't we go get some ice cream and then go over the homework."

"Sounds great Pheebs. Be there in two." Helga ended the call.

* * *

"911, what is your emergency?" The operator on the phone asked.

"GERALD! Give me the phone!" Arnold yelled.

"Yes, I would like to report a serious problem concerning my best friend-"

"GERALD! HANG UP!" Arnold interrupted and the operator could hear shuffling on the other line.

"Uh...yes Ms.- stop it Arnold- I would like to- move Arnold- report a stalker harassing my best- OW!-" then the line went dead.

"ARNOLD! Why did you that?! This is serious! This is the fourth time that that PSYCHO has written you one of these passionately PSYCHOTIC love letters!" Gerald exclaimed waving the most recent letter, about Arnold's hands, in the air. "And am I the only one who realizes that she has been making a slow but steady pace up your body?....MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" Gerald cried dramatically.

"GERALD!" Arnold had to shout for the third time. "Get a hold of yourself! You're NOT helping! Wait a minute how did you know it was a she?"

"Puh-leeze Arnold, anyone with half a brain would know that it was a she. No guy could write like that unless he was a lover of fruit if you get what I'm saying."

"Gerald just because I guy is sensitive enough to write passionately does not make him fruity." Arnold reasoned. Gerald stared at him.

"Are you hearing yourself?"

"I'm sensitive, does that make me fruity?" Arnold asked with a sigh.

"Arnold your sensitivity comes from the fact that you are a large walking heart of gold, there's a difference." Arnold just shook his head.

"I don't know what to do Gerald, I really need your help on this."

"Give me the phone I'll dial 9-1-1 and ask for all the help you can get."

"Gerald be serious." Arnold groaned.

"My man do you see this face. I am serious."

Arnold flopped back on is bed, staring at the ceiling in silence. He felt Gerald sit beside him.

"Look Arnold, we don't know who we're dealing with. The person sounds harmless but they know way too much about you and yet you don't know anything about them. That's not a good thing. Knowing you, I know you just think that the person is a lonely tortured soul in need of a friend, cause that's just how you are, but what if they're not Arnold." Gerald inquired.

"Your not the only one who is freaked out about this Gerald. This person sorta scares me too. I mean, how would you feel if someone were writing about parts of your anatomy and paralleling them to the things you do everyday....IN GREAT DETAIL."

"Ah, but I know you Arnold and I know that deep down inside as creeped out as you are you are still going to choose to believe that there is good in everyone."

Arnold silently turned his face back to the ceiling. Gerald stood up.

"I'm going to go my man I know you want to think about this. I'll be back later." With that, he and Arnold did there secret shake and Gerald was out the door. Arnold resumed his position and lay back on his bed. He didn't know how long and lay there thinking before he finally got up and went to sit at his desk.

He grabbed the other letters and sat down looking over them. He had been getting letters from this person for two months now and he was no closer to finding out who it was than when it had first started. The only things he knew about this anonymous _Broken_ was that they wrote him every two weeks, loved to and they were a girl....of course Gerald had helped him to the conclusion on the last one.

It was getting ridiculous! _Broken_ had sent him TWO more letters over the next month and a half. One letter was dedicated to his arms the other had been solely on his hands, and each letter had gone embarrassingly and deeply intimately into discussion about these parts of his body and how he performed the different tasks with them. But reading the letters over again, Arnold began to see something different. The writer had given him some insight into her life.

In each of her letters she talk a lot about how depressing and lonely her home life was. How the people she lived with never seem to notice that she was there. They constantly neglected her and she was always overshadowed by an older girl that lived with them.

Arnold paused. Where had he heard this before. This story sound a lot like another person's story that he knew. There was something very familiar about these letters. Too familiar. Could it be....Nah. They had outgrown those feelings a long time ago....Hadn't they? It was just the heat of the moment they had agreed. Helga was caught off guard and just blurted out everything and he was just feeling sympathetic toward her. There had been nothing going on. Nothing had changed that night....right? Arnold shook his head yet again to clear his thoughts. He was not going to go down that road again.

Wait! A brilliant thought had just hit him. Why didn't he think of it before? There was another way to get to the bottom of this and he knew just who to turn to.

* * *

Helga punched her locker a third time.

"Criminey you stupid thing! Open!" she banged on it a fourth time. Helga scanned the hallway and spotted Stinky with an arm full of books. "Hey Stinky! Get over here and open my locker!"

"But, uh, Helga I'm kinda busy-" Stinky motioned with his head to the rather large stank of books he was trying to manage.

"Now!" Helga demanded.

"Coming!" Stinky made to drop the books and rush to Helga before Arnold stopped him.

"It's okay Stinky, I got it." Arnold patted his arm.

"Gee thanks Arnold, that's real kind of ya." The gratitude was all over his face.

Arnold walked over to Helga's locker hooked his fingers under the bottom and with a flick of his wrist popped open the locker.

"Thanks Foot-ball head." Helga told him gratefully before placing her books in her locker.

"Your welcome Helga but I also have a favor to ask of you."

"Yeah, okay, what is it?" she asked. Then Arnold drew out a familiar folded piece of paper and handed it to Helga. Helga unfolded the piece of paper and froze.

"It's a letter. I was hoping you could help me find out who it is." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly when she finally looked up at him. If she wasn't frozen before she was stone cold now. This wasn't funny. Why was life screwing with her again?

"What's wrong Helga? Your growing pale." Arnold put a hand on her shoulder concerned for his friend.

"I..uh....I can't help you Foot-ball head. I'm sorry." Her voice sounded forced and tight.

"Wha-" Arnold was surprised by her rejection. "Why not?"

"Because I just CAN'T!" she yelled at him. But Arnold was not deterred. He grabbed her hands tenderly and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Helga please! I need you." He softly begged. Neither one of them had heard Phoebe and Gerald come up behind them.

"Uh, Helga? Can I talk to you a minute in the ladies room please?" Phoebe asked as she took Helga's hand and rushed to the bathroom. She knew Helga need a breather and time to clear her head. Helga had never been so grateful as to have Phoebe for a best friend in her life.

"SCRAM!" Helga screeched when they reached the bathroom so that they could talk in private. Toilets were flushed immediatly and hands were washed quickly and then Helga and Phoebe were left alone. Helga slouched against the wall.

"So what are you going to do?" Phoebe put her hand on her friend's arm for she was trembling.

"Pheebs," she said in a shaky voice. "I have no idea."

**A/N:** Thank you so much to all who reviewed! Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: _Hey Arnold (tragically) is not in my possession. I can only claim this story about them.

"Arnold, what are you doing?" Gerald questioned one eyebrow raised.

"I'm asking Helga to help me find the person who is writing me all of these letters."

Gerald looked at Arnold in confusion. "Why?"

"Because Gerald she is the best person for the job. Have you forgotten who was able to help us translate all of those letters about my parents in no time at all? Well maybe she can use her expertise to help me out on these letters as well." Arnold calmly explained.

Gerald was silent. He couldn't deny that Arnold had a very good point. If anyone could help to figure out the letters it would be Helga.

"Okay, so what's your plan?" Gerald finally asked.

"Well I don't really know just yet. Helga said no when I asked her. In fact she looked terrified but I'm going to ask her again."

"What if she still says no?"

"I'll get her to say yes."

"And how will you get her to say yes?"

Arnold's shoulders slumped as he replied, "I have no idea."

*******

Helga knew that she and Phoebe couldn't hid in the bathroom all day but she sure as heck wanted to try! Phoebe was looking at her awaiting the signal for what they would do next. Helga sighed.

"Come on Pheebs." Helga got off the counter and made her way to the door.

"What are we going to do?" Phoebe asked ready for Helga's plan as a best friend should be. Helga looked over her shoulder at Phoebe as she exited the bathroom.

"Nothing."

The shock wearing off, Phoebe gathered her things and quickly stumbled after Helga.

"Nothing? We're not going to do anything? Nothing?" Phoebe squeaked. Helga turned to her friend.

"No. If Arnold ask me again to help him I'm just going to tell him 'no'."

"But what if he keeps on asking?"

"Then I'll just have to avoid him."

"But Helga, won't he get suspicious?"

Helga paused. "Maybe. But by then I would have come up with a better plan. I hope."

*******

Arnold spotted Helga and Phoebe come out of the bathroom before Gerald and began making his way over to them.

"So Helga have you thought about it, will you help me?"

Helga looked at Phoebe and Phoebe just nodded her head before turning to Gerald.

"Come on Gerald let's go secure a table in the cafeteria while we wait for Arnold and Helga." She didn't wait for his response before she began dragging him down the hall.

"But wait, I want to hear what Helga's gonna say." You could hear Gerald complain. Phoebe just yanked him all the harder into the cafeteria.

"Ouch Honey! Ease up!" Gerald whined as the doors of the cafeteria closed behind them. Finally Helga turned back to Arnold who was still staring at her, hopeful. Well little did he know she was about to dash them.

"No Arnold. I won't help you." she stated calmly. He looked at her shocked. He was sure she was going to agree.

"B-but why?" He stuttered.

"Because I just don't want to foot-ball head." Helga turned and started for the cafeteria.

Arnold just stood there staring after her. What was going on with her? Why wouldn't she help him? Arnold didn't ask for help often. The only time he really asked Helga for help was when he was desperate to figure out the tons of letters concerning his parents and she had not denied him help then. In fact now that they were friends she offered to help him even forced help on him though he said he told her it wasn't necessary. Now she was refusing to help him when he really needed it. Something wasn't right here. Something wasn't adding up. Helga was acting far to sensitive on the subject. Almost as if it affected her personally. With these thought hanging heavily in his mind, Arnold walked slowly toward the cafeteria.

Helga was already seated at a table next to Phoebe behaving normally as if she had not just been acting cryptic just minutes before. He walked up to Gerald who at the food line, presumably getting his second helping, to retrieve his own tray. As he approached Gerald looked over his shoulder at him.

"Hey man what took you so long. These sandwiches are bangin'. They finally have something good. I mean I 'm here for seconds!"

"Gerald you always come for seconds."

"Yeah but I don't do it with a smile on my face now do I."

Arnold just shook his head. Then Gerald recognized the somber look on his best friends face.

"What's happenin' Arnold?" He asked concerned.

"Helga's hiding something from me. I think that she knows the person that has been sending me the letters."

"What?! She does? Did she tell you who?" Gerald fired question after question at Arnold.

"No she didn't tell me anything. In fact she refused to help me, that's what makes me suspicious."

"So how does that tell you that she's hiding something?"

"Because it's not so much that she refused as it is how she refused."

"Huh?" Gerald let his confusion show.

"Listen Gerald. She couldn't give me a good reason why she wouldn't help me, she became far too sensitive about the issue like it personally involved her and most of all she stuttered and I think you and I both know that Helga doesn't stutter. The only time she does is when she's trying to deny that she did something nice for someone else or trying to cover her feelings about something which leads me to believe that she knows something." Arnold explained.

"So what are you going to do?"

Arnold stared at his feet. "I do have an idea as to what I could do but I don't think that it's right."

"Well," Gerald said impatiently after Arnold was silent for a full minute. "What is it?"

Arnold rubbed the back of his neck "I know that Helga has small soft spot for me and, well I was going to sort of use that as an incentive to get her to share with me what she knows."

"Let me get this straight. You know that Helga may like you a little bit and you're going to use her feelings as a way to get what you want?" Gerald sniffed. "My little boy is growing up."

"Stop it Gerald. I'm probably not even going to do it. I feel sick already just thinking about it."

"Okay but when you get kidnapped in the middle of the night by some hairy, big-nosed, hunched back, moley, bad breath woman who ships you to her pig sty in the far away land of Bangladesh, where she hides you in her basement with all her pet rats until it's time for the wedding ceremony and then on to the rest of your life tossing pig slop, don't say I didn't tell you so. Or you could turn up the charm with Helga and nail this creep."

Arnold's expression went from one of horror at the very descriptive picture Gerald had painted in his mind to a small smile that swept across his lips at Gerald's last sentence.

"Gerald." Arnold chuckled.

"Yeah?"

"I think that Helga and I are going to be spending a lot of time together."

It was Gerald's turn to smile. "That's my boy."

*******

Helga felt like a criminal on the run. And if the situation served correctly she kind of was. She was avoiding Arnold as best she could in this three story wasteland called school, and had been since lunch. Arnold would just not let it drop. All through lunch he had asked her the same questions 'will you help me find out who it is Helga? Will you help me please?' so many times that it had driven her to scream yes in his face just to get him to shut up only to realize seconds later what she had just done. Now she was hiding from Arnold like a trapped rat and she hated it.

This was ridiculous. She was Helga G. Pataki and wasn't scared of anybody. Not even Arnold. She ought to go out there right now and give him a piece of her mind. She put her hand on the door of the cabinet she was cowering in.

"Helga. Helga are you in here?" Arnold called. Helga quickly removed her hand and sat very still until she heard Arnold leave moments later.

She had told Arnold that she hadn't meant to say yes but he wouldn't let her back out of her word. Didn't he know what was at stake? Didn't he know that if he found out it was her that nothing would be the same. That it would ruin her, kill her. This wasn't like the FTI incident. She wouldn't be able to blame all on 'the heat of the moment'. These letters were premeditated, deliberately delivered and had been going on for months now.

She could say that it was all one big joke and that she just thought it would be funny to freak him out, but that could destroy their new friendship all because Helga thought if 'funny' to play with his emotions for months. But she couldn't let Arnold find out it was her, she just couldn't. There had to be someway out of this or at least someway to turn this in her favor. But how? She knew that she and Arnold would probably be spending a lot of time together making it all the harder to keep this her secret with him so close.

She could always pound his head in, but she had never hit Arnold and she was in remission from fighting right now. Was there any bright spot in all of this? Under different circumstances she would have loved to be spending all of this extra time with Arnold but it wasn't.

Ugh! Apparently she wasn't going to come up with a plan in here, with her legs all cramped up and losing oxygen fast, she needed to get home and really think this through and she would...as soon as she found a way to get out of Mr. Simmons storage cabinet.

**A/N:** Don't panic I know Arnold's got a little edge to him in this chapter but I promise he's still the Arnold that we all know all love. Sorry it took so long to update. Life gets in the way sometime. Hope it was worth it. **Jadeykins** and **Shahrezad1** you guys rock! And to those who have reviewed, new and old, thank you so much. You rock too.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: _Hey Arnold (tragically) is not in my possession. I can only claim this story about them.

_**A/N:**_ Alright you all can bring out your weapons and open fire cause I know this took forever. I am so so so INCREDIBLY sorry but I hope you enjoy this chapter and hope that the next update won't ever be this long but sadly I can't promise anything. I have had a lot on my plate and my stories have had to suffer for it. I hope you haven't forgotten about this story and I hope it was worth some of the wait. Goodbye and God Bless! Read On!

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**Chp5 **

Helga groaned and fought the urge to scream as she pounded her head against the table. Years of skill and practice had allowed her to avoid Arnold for two days before he was finally able to catch her. Thirty minutes and twenty excuses later and Arnold was finally able to get her to meet in the library after school for a couple of hours to work on discovering the secret messenger or stalker of the personal, passionate love letters addressed to himself.

She had not been able to come up with a single good plan to rid herself of this situation. It was like she was having a completely out of body experience. She had been berating herself trying to figure out why she was having so much trouble with this until the answer finally came to her. It was just that. She was having so much trouble getting out of this situation because she had never been in this situation before. She had taken a major step that could never be taken back.

She had decided to write letters to Arnold as another way of expressing her feelings. Doing them in private just wasn't cutting it anymore. It just wasn't enough. Did you know how hard it was to love someone so strongly and have to keep all those feelings to yourself? To experience the agonizing pain day after day pretending to hate them so that they would never find out? To rip your heart out being so close but not having, to reach out and not grasp, forced to just be friends and nothing more? She was indeed broken. She was Arnold's _Broken_. She had to let her feelings out somehow. And this was the way that she chose never expecting that it would come this far.

She at least wanted him to know how she felt even if he didn't know it was her. He would know that somewhere out there someone cared deeply and passionately for him. That no matter the circumstance or the cost that she loved him beyond human expectation even if he never knew it. And now she was indeed suffering for it. She had made herself vulnerable to him. She had only done that once before but Arnold had given her an out. He had practically handed her her freedom but that wasn't the case now. Now he was tired. Now he had questions and he wanted answers. So here she was awaiting her demise. She had come straight here while Arnold said that he needed just a moment to talk to Gerald.

Helga glanced around the room once more. There were less people than before, two minutes ago. Only a few nerds huddled in the corners giggling to themselves over a discovered mistake in Einstein's formula for the atomic bomb or something to that effect. At the front desk it looked like Ms. Klunkle was falling asleep. Shame on this school for letting her work such long hours at her age. She should be at home trying to decipher stick figure pictures from her grand kids while spoiling them with hot chocolate and cookies...well at least Helga thought that was how it was supposed to go. She never knew her grandparents. Had no idea how a grandma was supposed to act so she just went on what was read in books and seen on television. To have Grandparents like that would be a dream for Helga. She shook her head and added that dream to the pile of dreams in the dark corner of her mind.

"Hey Helga. Sorry it took so long. I know this isn't the most ideal place to meet but I figured since we really have a load today, we could do our homework before we get started on everything else." Arnold was saying bringing her out of her thoughts. She looked up and met his gaze as he began to sit down. He looked at her softly.

"Is that okay?" He asked gently. She merely nodded.

For the next hour and a half Arnold and Helga worked in harmony on our several of their assignments before finally calling it a wrap. Now it was time to discuss the God-forsaken letter. She was really dreading this part.

"I think that we should go to a table in one of the far corners to avoid people overhearing." Helga stated gathering her books. She doubted anyone would hear them. This wasn't a fight. They weren't going to be yelling and shouting at each other, at least she hoped they wouldn't. Besides there was really no one here. And the only people that knew of their whereabouts were Phoebe and she was pretty sure Gerald. Honestly she was just stalling for time. Time. There never seemed to be enough time and yet at the same too much time already.

Seconds after being settled in their new area, Arnold pulled a small stack of letters from his jacket and carefully laid them on the table. Helga stared at the letters as if they were to come alive and attack her. What would it matter they were slowly killing her anyway.

Arnold slowly pulled the first letter off the stack and looked as if he were going to read them aloud to her. Helga snatched the letter so fast she was sure the both she and Arnold had suffered a serious paper cut. Arnold just stared at her mouth agape.

"Don't read it out loud, I'll read it." She skimmed over the letter quickly already aware of its contents before silently speaking.

"Maybe they don't want to be found."

"What?"

"Maybe they don't want to be found."

"Helga that's ridiculous."

"It's not actually, think about it. They never left an address or any other way to contact them. They never told you their name or any hint as to who they are."

"They could be just shy. It makes perfect sense. I mean if they weren't shy then they would come up to me and tell me how they feel to my face."

"No they wouldn't."

Arnold's eyebrows dipped in confusion. "What do you mean they wouldn't?"

"Oh come on Arnold would you tell a person you really liked that you liked them, to their face? No you wouldn't and neither would I or anyone else for that matter save a few very brave souls. Everyone is afraid that the person they have feelings for may reject them so they play it safe it's not uncommon or unheard of. We have living examples of it all over our school. Hell we have living examples of it all over our class."

Arnold looked shocked. "Don't swear Helga."

"Oh grow up Football-head. You're not the first person to hear my potty mouth and I promise your bootin' tootin' you won't be the last. Now did you hear anything I just said besides the word 'hell'?"

Arnold cocked his head and gave Helga a look. "You said that on purpose."

Helga shrugged of course she did. "Maybe. Did you get what I was trying to say or not Football-head?"

Arnold nodded. "You're right I wouldn't be able to tell someone how I felt about them to their face. It is a very nerve wracking experience. I've seen crushes in our school but I didn't know that we had so many in our own class except for the obvious few."

Helga gave Arnold a deadpanned look. "Are you serious? Come on. Rhonda and Curly, Harold and Patty, Nadine and Sid, Lila and Stinky, Sheena and Lorenzo, Eugene and Maria, Peapod and Simone, Iggy and Siobhan, Ruth and Brainy, Katrinka and Park, PHOEBE AND GERALD."

Arnold was stunned to silence, but not for long. He made to open his mouth but Helga answered his question before he could even get it out of his throat.

"I pay attention, and a lot of them are not as slick as they think they are or would like to be. Only a few of them as you said have made their relationships public but most of them are still pathetically trying to keep it a secret, pitifully making out in different janitor closets or in the kitchen storage room. Not to mention all the girls use the bathroom as their swooning place after they have made out. Sighing dreamily in the stalls. 'Oh my darling Sid' or 'I'd live in your Peapod any day'. It's vomit inducing. "

Arnold might have been stunned before but now his expression was down right appaled. "I knew about Phoebe and Gerald, Patty and Harold, and Curly's crush on Rhonda but I had no idea about the others."

"The reason most people haven't found out is because they are the most unlikely of couples. I mean come on, no one would suspect Eugene and Maria. Not only is she older than him but she's one of the most popular twelfth graders. No one would believe she was dating a sophomore let alone Eugene. The same with Peapod and Simone. And Nadine is afraid of what Rhonda will say if she finds out that she's dating Sid, one of the biggest idiots who thinks he's a class clown. Not to mention that Rhonda finds him extremely disgusting. The list goes on."

"But Rhonda is dating Curly. Shouldn't she be one of the last people with room to say anything." Arnold pointed out.

"Pampered Princesses don't think like that Arnoldo." Helga reminded him gently. Arnold simply nodded his head looking like he was still trying to gather his thoughts.

"Like I said I pay attention and I've had to use the storage room or kitchen myself from time to time."

Arnold nearly fell out of his chair at that one. Helga was secretly making out with someone. He was hurt that she didn't find him friend enough to tell him, and if he were purely honest with himself, a little angry.

"You've been secretly making out with someone?" Arnold voice raising just slightly.

Helga had the grace to blush. "Wh-what n-no! I mean...I just...I mean I use those rooms for other things. Not making out!"

"What do you use the rooms for?" Arnold asked, more than curious.

"None of your business Arnoldo. Just forget that I said anything about that." Helga snapped. All was silent for a moment before Arnold decided to ask another question.

"Helga, you forgot two people on that list. Where's my name and where is yours?"

Helga prayed to God that her sudden pause wasn't noticeable. She tried to play off her panic by shifting the subject and pasting a sly smile on her face.

"So you wanna be on the list eh Arnold? Desperately want someone to make out with?" She could clearly see that Arnold was uncomfortable but it was her only distraction. "Play a little tonsil hockey? Swap spit with the babe of your dreams? Kiss like the Frenchies? Get as hot and heavy as that big ball of fire shinin' in the sky on a hot summer day? Have her sweltering like you've both been spending a couple a' hours in the sauna?"

"ALRIGHT. Enough." Arnold's face looked like it was on fire, it was so red.

"Calm down Football-head before I have to fetch for the extinguisher. Your face is redder than a pig over the spit." Helga laughed at Arnold's expense. After Arnold had finally regulated his breathing he shot Helga a stern look.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant. So are you tellin' me that you have a girlfriend Arnold? What's her name and the story behind how you two got together? 'Cause I sure as heck wanna know how I missed that."

"No I don't exactly have a-"

"You don't have a girlfriend then what the heck are ya buggin' me about this for?" Helga scolded good-naturedly.

"I never said I didn't have a girlfriend- You know what never mind. What about you huh Helga?" Arnold was on the defensive now, turning the tables on her. See how she liked being in the interrogation chair. "Do you have a boyfriend. You said yourself that you've used those make out spots before? Took someone special? Huh?" Arnold once more cocked his head to the side and started to lean in a little.

To her utter dismay Helga found herself blushing. Not only was Arnold hitting too close to home but she found herself slightly attracted to this very rare aggressive side of him. She had only seen Arnold this aggressive a couple of times. The main one being when he was getting her back as an April Fool's prank and they were doing the tango. Despite the success of his prank, Helga could not stop smiling all the way home and for the rest of that night. And her dreams had been far more vivid than usual. To put it plainly he was sexy...And hitting far too close to home!

Come to think of it, how the HELL did she end up on the other side of the questions? Before she could come up with any smart remarks, Arnold continued.

"Doing some heavy making out yourself? Getting serious with someone Helga? Do I know him?" Arnold Rounded on Helga, getting closer. "An older guy? A younger guy? Maybe he's in our class."

"Football-head-" Helga interrupted. Arnold was getting really good at this. He was almost as good as her. Almost. Huh? He must have been spending far too much time around her. She was starting to rub off on him. It didn't matter he would never find out who she loved.

"You know I'm hurt Helga. I thought we were closer than that. I thought we were becoming good friends, close enough to trust each other."

"We are-" Helga attempted again.

"Well since you won't tell me I guess I'll just have to guess."

"Is it me-"

"Why the hell would you start with you first?" Helga prayed to God that she wasn't showing any of the panic she felt.

"Well your list eliminated pretty much all of the guys in our class that we really know and I haven't seen you associate with anyone besides the people in our class... And you didn't deny it either."

"How do you know I like somebody at all? Maybe I don't like anybody?" she snapped.

"Maybe?"

"Criminey! I don't like anyone!"

"Then why are you so defensive Helga? What's got you so riled up?"

"I'm not defensive! I'm just answering your stupid questions!"

"So now they're stupid?"

"They've always been stupid!" Helga growled.

"Helga I think you're hiding something?" Arnold hoped that whatever it was it was what he had been hoping for and kinda, already, secretly knowing all along.

"I'm not hiding anything!"

"Helga?"

"What?"

"You're still yelling which gives me reason to believe that you are hiding something."

"CRIMINEY!" Helga grabbed her books and bag and started towards the front of the library. "I don't have to listen to this."

"Now you're just running away Helga!" Arnold called after her, scrambling to get his things and going after her.

Helga made her way to the exit. Just who did Arnold think he was? Huh? The door wasn't pushing open. She went to the one beside it.

"Helga." she heard Arnold behind her but she ignored him. This door wasn't opening either. She went to the last one. Same thing. _Okay don't panic. _Helga looked around, now that she was aware she noticed that the lights were dim and there was no one at the front desk. Helga looked around again..Wrong..there was no one here period. She finally had the sense to turn to the large clock right behind the front desk and the panic raced straight to her stomach when she caught the time. It was almost 7 p.m.

"...Because we really need to talk this out so you can't just walk away..." Arnold was still talking.

"Oh CRIMINEY!"

"Helga your anger is never going to solve the problem." Arnold scolded complete unaware of the situation.

"Criminey, criminey, criminey, criminey. Arnoldo would you please shut-up!"

"We need to-"

"We're locked in Football-head! WE'RE LOCKED IN!" Helga shook him.

"Helga-we're what?"

"Wake up Football-head!" Helga shook him harder. "Didn't you hear me! We. Are. Locked. IN!"

Arnold looked around and his eyes widened as their situation began to dawn on him.

"We're locked in!"

"Doi. I just said that! What idiot closes the library and doesn't check to see if everyone has left yet?"

"Ms. Klunkle is pretty old Helga. She probably forgot we were in here. We were so far in the back."

"Wonderful conclusion Football-head." She snapped sarcastically. "Now how are we going to get out of here?"

"I don't think the janitor has come in to clean yet so I think it would be smart if just wait here until he comes."

"Okay Arnoldo, you wait here and I'll find a way to get out. Kay?" Helga rolled her eyes at him and started toward the stairs. Arnold stood there silently for a moment as if weighing his pros and cons.

"Helga wait up!" She was already half way up the stairs. "We should stick together in case something happens."

"Aw, does the wittle Football-head need me?" Helga cooed. Arnold strolled right up to her and looked her straight in the eye.

"Yes and you need me too."

Helga cleared her throat and turned away before Arnold could see the blush. "Hurry up Football-head. I'm not tryin' to be in here all night."

Helga was more than frustrated now. They had checked all of the enter and exit doors on the first and second door with no luck and already a half hour had passed. And was that thunder she heard? Great yeah just add a storm and make this a typical worst night.

"What in the Criminey is wrong with this place! Don't they have some sort of way to get out of here besides the front door? It's practically dark now and I'm starvin' here!" Helga ranted.

"I know Helga, I'm hungry too but someone is bound to come in here the lights are still on and besides our family is going to worry when they realize we haven't come home yet." Arnold reminded.

"Speak for yourself. If I died tomorrow my family wouldn't give an elephant's a-" Arnold gave her a look and Helga rolled her eyes. "They wouldn't care alright. My mother would be happy for the excuse to drink more booze and my father would be happy because when he finally called Olga the real one would come down."

"Helga. Some people just show there love for others in different ways. I know your family may not be as affectionate as you would like but I'm sure if anything every happend to you they would be the first to care." Arnold tried to comfort the on the edge teen.

"Whatever." Helga muttered as she kept walking. She didn't want to talk about how much her family may or may not miss her if she didn't come home tonight. She already knew the real answer even if Arnold didn't want to see it for what it really was.

Helga took a look at her surroundings again. There! It was a small window above the bookshelf! From what Helga could gather from her position it wasn't just for decoration but it actually opened from the inside. Helga looked around again. It looked like the only way to reach it was to climb on the book shelves and then onto the sill. The book shelves were a little towering but she could make it.

"Helga why did you stop? Did you-"

Helga cut Arnold off. "Look up Football-head. See that window up there that's our way of escape. I'm going to climb up this bookcase to be sure that it opens and when it does I'll give you the all clear sign to follow me up as I hold the book shelf steady."

"Hold on Helga." Arnold paused, "You're going to climb up that thing? Are you serious? It's almost three times your height!"

"I can do it Arnoldo."

"There's nothing for you to hold onto!"

"It's the only way to get us out of this pie hole Football-head and I'm takin' it."

"Helga there has to be some other way." Arnold reasoned. Helga gave him a look. "I can't talk you out of this can I?"

"Nope." She smilled.

"Well then let me go up first. If the shelf is unstable then I can warn you not to come up so you don't get hurt."

"No Arnoldo, it's too high." Helga refused.

"So you can risk going up there but I can't?" Arnold frowned.

"YES! I don't want you to get hurt!" Helga roared in his face.

"Well I don't want you to get hurt either!" Arnold snapped back.

"Outta my way Football-head! I have a job to do!" Helga shoved past him.

"Helga please." Arnold pleaded softly. He clamped his hand on her leg seeing as she already started climbing. "I really don't want you to get hurt. Please. Please let me go first Helga. If you got hurt I don't know what I would do."

Helga looked in those pleading beautiful green eyes and sighed. Leave it to Arnold to pull at the heart strings. She knew he wasn't doing it to manipulate her that was just Arnold's natural caring that took control whenever someone was in trouble.

"Fine! Arnoldo but you better not mess this up or I'll pound you. And you'd better not get hurt or I'll pound you twice as hard." Helga shook her fist at him. Arnold smiled softly.

"Thanks Helga, I'll keep those in mind." Helga's cheeks reddened.

"Just hurry up Football-head we don't got all day."

"Okay. Hold the shelf as stead as you can-"

"I know Football-head! Just get a move on!" Helga snapped as she grabbed the bookcase. Her nerves were on edge she couldn't believe she was letting Arnold do this waht if he got seriously hurt. What would she do? She knew what she would do. She would never forgive herself. She was tempted to pull him back down. When she looked back at Arnold he was slowly making his way up and was almost half way there.

Helga's heart was pounding as Arnold climbed higher and higher and was holding her breath when Arnold finally made it to the top. He turned back to look down at her and gave a smile and a thumbs up. The only thing she could manage was a slight nod. She was so nervous. He put one foot on the window sil and kept the other on the bookshelf as he stretched out to see if the window was locked. He tugged for a few seconds before looking down at Helga again.

"It's not locked but it is stuck. I doubt it's been opened much if at all but I'm going to try to give it one good push to see if it will open." Before Helga could offer any advice. Arnold began pushing on the latch of the window. The window finally began to crack open. Arnold was making progress. Unfortunately Arnold's foot would slip more and more off the sill the harder he pushed. Helga noticing this finally cried out.

"Arnold! Stop pushing!"

But it was too late Arnold's foot slipped off the window sill and he began falling at too fast a pace. Helga stretched her arms out and prayed that she would catch him. Arnold, at the last second, grabbed onto the bookshelf and managed to slide down the rest of the way. When he hit the bottom Helga was all over him.

"ARNOLD! Are you okay? Please be okay! TELL ME you're okay!" Helga was frantic.

Arnold stood up cautiously and smiled softly at her. "I'm okay Helga. Just a little shaken." Helga shoved him and started pacing back and forth ranting as Arnold watched her and tried to assure her that he was alright. Neither of them noticing the wobbling bookshelf behind them. Helga heard a creak and turned right as the shelf started to lean forward with Arnold standing right under it. _Not again,_ she thought, _Not tonight_.

"ARNOLD! Helga screamed as she made a dive for him, pushing him out of the way. Arnold turned in terror just in time to see the shelf come barrelling down. Right on-

"HELLLGGAAAAA!"

Arnold's cry was so agonizing that even the storm brewing outside quieted and had to give respect to the young man's pain.

_Relax and Review!_


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